The invention relates to an imbricating method for producing an imbricated (or shingled) stream from at least two individual streams of singulated, unconnected blanks obtained from a paper web, in particular mail items, such as postcards or preferably folded letters. Furthermore, the invention also relates to a folding method for preparing folded blanks, preferably folded mail items, for example folded letters, and to a method for preparing an imbricated stream consisting of folded blanks.
In addition to the methods described above, the invention furthermore relates to an imbricating device for preparing an imbricated stream from at least two individual streams of singulated, unconnected blanks obtained from a paper web, in particular mail items, such as postcards or preferably folded letters, to a folding device for producing folded blanks, preferably folded mail items, for example folded letters, from a paper web, and to a device for preparing folded blanks in an imbricated stream.
Methods and devices of this type are previously known in various embodiments from the prior art. For example, it is known to fold paper webs printed with individual blanks, for example letters, using what is referred to as buckle folding and then to singulate the folded blanks and then to prepare said blanks in an imbricated stream, in which the singulated blanks are stacked one above another so as to overlap one another, in order for them to be placed into envelopes and dispatched.
The previously defined methods and devices are used, for example, for the dispatch preparation of what is referred to as mass mailings. In the case of mass mailings of this type, it is expedient, for as cost-effective a dispatch as possible, to collate the singulated letter items with a consecutive zip code, the sequence of which must not be changed. To this end, it has proven particularly expedient to collate the letter items in an imbricated stream with a consecutive zip code for said letter items to be placed into envelopes and dispatched since this is more favorable for the dispatch in respect of the letter postage.
The methods and devices previously known from the prior art, in particular those which make recourse to what is referred to as buckle folding, have a comparatively low processing speed here. There is therefore the need to prepare methods and devices of the type mentioned at the beginning, with which the processed quantity of blanks per unit of time can be increased, i.e. with which the blanks can be processed more rapidly.